Drinking bladder jacket apparatus

ABSTRACT

A drinking bladder jacket apparatus for convenient beverage storage and drinking includes a jacket having a jacket body, a pair of sleeves coupled to the jacket body, and an inner lining. A bladder pocket is coupled to the inner lining. A bladder is coupled within the bladder pocket. The bladder has a fill port and a release port extending into a bladder inside that holds a beverage. A cap is selectively engageable with the fill port to seal or unseal the bladder inside. A drinking tube is coupled to the bladder and extends either through one of the sleeves of the jacket or through a hood portion of the jacket if present. A valve is coupled to the drinking tube to restrict or allow the flow of the beverage.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

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INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR ASA TEXT FILE VIA THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM

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STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (1) Field of the Invention

The disclosure relates to drinking bladder devices and more particularlypertains to a new drinking bladder device for convenient beveragestorage and drinking.

(2) Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37CFR 1.97 and 1.98

The prior art relates to drinking bladder devices. Known devicesintegrate bladders and tubes into wearable devices. These devicestypically place the bladder against the small of the user's back and runthe drinking tube through the collar of the shirt. Known devices do nothave access to the drinking tube at the cuff of a jacket and do notplace the bladder within a chest pocket, the sleeve, or the hood.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above bygenerally comprising a jacket having a jacket body, a pair of sleevescoupled to the jacket body, and an inner lining. A bladder pocket iscoupled to the jacket. The bladder pocket is coupled to the innerlining. A bladder is coupled within the bladder pocket. The bladder hasa fill port and a release port extending into a bladder inside. Thebladder inside is configured to hold a beverage. A cap is coupled to thebladder. The cap is selectively engageable with the fill port to seal orunseal the bladder inside. A drinking tube is coupled to the bladder.The drinking tube extends either through one of the sleeves of thejacket or through a hood portion of the jacket if present. The drinkingtube is in fluid communication with the release port. A valve is coupledto the drinking tube. The valve is coupled proximal a distal end of thedrinking tube to restrict or allow the flow of the beverage.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more importantfeatures of the disclosure in order that the detailed descriptionthereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that thepresent contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There areadditional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafterand which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features ofnovelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out withparticularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of thisdisclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than thoseset forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to thefollowing detailed description thereof. Such description makes referenceto the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of a drinking bladder jacket apparatusaccording to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a detail isometric view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the disclosurealong the line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a front elevation view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a front elevation view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 6 is a rear elevation view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 7 is a front elevation view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through7 thereof, a new drinking bladder device embodying the principles andconcepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated bythe reference numeral 10 will be described.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 7, the drinking bladder jacketapparatus 10 generally comprises a jacket 12 having a jacket body 14, apair of sleeves 16 coupled to the jacket body 14, and an inner lining18. The jacket 12 may be made of a variety of materials and cutsconforming to standard outwear used for different conditions andpurposes.

A bladder pocket 20 is coupled to the inner lining 18 of the jacket. Thebladder pocket 20 may be coupled to the inner lining 18 on a breastportion 22 as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2. This positioning is employed whenthe jacket 12 has a front opening 24 rather than functioning as apullover. The bladder pocket 20 may be coupled to the inner lining 18 ona back portion 25 as seen in FIG. 7. The bladder pocket 20 mayalternatively be coupled to an upper arm portion 26 of the sleeve asshown in FIG. 4. The bladder pocket 20 in this position is placed abovean elbow 28 of the sleeve 16 in order to prevent restriction of motion.When the jacket 12 functions includes a hood portion 29 the bladderpocket 20 may be coupled within the hood portion 29 as seen in FIGS. 5and 6.

The bladder pocket 20 may have a pocket portion 30 and flap portion 32.The flap portion 32 closes or exposes the pocket portion 30. Each of thepocket portion 30 and the flap portion 32 may have a selectivelyengageable fastener 34 to seal the pocket portion 30 and securecontents. The selectively engageable fastener 34 may be, but is notlimited to, a hook-and-loop fastener, a zipper, a plurality of snaps,and the like. The bladder pocket 20 may be rectangular when positionedon the breast portion 22 or the upper arm portion 26. The bladder pocket20 may alternatively have a parabolic perimeter 35 when coupled to thehood portion 29 in order to conform to the shape of the hood portion 29and maximize volume.

A bladder 36 is coupled within the bladder pocket 20. The bladder 36 hasa fill port 38 and a release port 40 extending into a bladder inside 42.The bladder inside 42 is configured to hold a beverage. The bladder 36may conform to the dimensions of the pocket portion 30 to maximize thevolume of the beverage stored. The fill port 38 allows the user toreplenish the bladder inside 42 with the beverage and is positioned on abladder top edge 44 of the bladder. The release port 40 allows thebeverage to exit the bladder inside 42 and is positioned adjacent abladder bottom edge 46 to be gravity fed and allow the bladder inside 42to empty as much as possible. A cap 48 is coupled to the bladder 36. Thecap 48 is selectively engageable with the fill port 38 to seal or unsealthe bladder inside 42. The cap 48 may threadingly engage the fill port38 or may alternatively press-fit onto the fill port 38.

A drinking tube 50 is coupled to the bladder 36. The drinking tube 50extends through one of the sleeves 16 of the jacket when the bladderpocket 20 is positioned on the breast portion 22 or the upper armportion 26. The drinking tube 50 has an exposed portion 52 protrudingfrom a cuff 54 of the sleeve. The drinking tube 50 is in fluidcommunication with the release port 40 of the bladder to allow the userto consume the beverage. When the bladder pocket 20 is coupled to thehood portion 29 the drinking tube 50 extends out of the hood portion 29.The bladder 36 and the drinking tube 50 are sufficiently malleable tonot restrict movement of the user.

A valve 56 is coupled to the drinking tube 50. The valve 56 is coupledproximal a distal end 58 of the drinking tube to restrict or allow theflow of the beverage. The valve 56 may have a release button 60 to allowthe flow of the beverage when depressed. The release button 60 may beelliptical to maximize the depressible area for ease of use.

In use, the bladder 36 is filled with the beverage through the fill port38. The cap 48 is engaged with the fill port 38 to prevent leakage andthe bladder is returned to within the bladder pocket 20. The beverage isthen consumed through the drinking tube 50 by depressing the releasebutton 60 on the valve and creating suction.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized thatthe optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodimentenabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials,shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, aredeemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and allequivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings anddescribed in the specification are intended to be encompassed by anembodiment of the disclosure.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of theprinciples of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications andchanges will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is notdesired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operationshown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications andequivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of thedisclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used inits non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word areincluded, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. Areference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not excludethe possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless thecontext clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.

1. A drinking bladder jacket apparatus comprising: a jacket having ajacket body, a pair of sleeves coupled to the jacket body, and an innerlining; a bladder pocket coupled to the jacket, the bladder pocket beingcoupled to the inner lining; a bladder coupled within the bladderpocket, the bladder having a fill port and a release port, each of thefill port and the release port extending into a bladder inside, thebladder inside being configured to hold a beverage; a cap coupled to thebladder, the cap being selectively engageable with the fill port to sealor unseal the bladder inside; a drinking tube coupled to the bladder,the drinking tube extending either through one of the sleeves of thejacket, the drinking tube being in fluid communication with the releaseport; and a valve coupled to the drinking tube, the valve being coupledproximal a distal end of the drinking tube to restrict or allow the flowof the beverage, the valve having a release button to allow the flow ofthe beverage when the release button is depressed.
 2. The drinkingbladder jacket apparatus of claim 1 further comprising the bladderpocket having a pocket portion and flap portion, the flap portion beingconfigured to close or expose the pocket portion, each of the pocketportion and the flap portion having a selectively engageable fastener toseal the pocket portion.
 3. The drinking bladder jacket apparatus ofclaim 1 further comprising the bladder pocket being coupled to the innerlining on a breast portion of the jacket.
 4. The drinking bladder jacketapparatus of claim 1 further comprising the bladder pocket being coupledto the inner lining on an upper arm portion of the jacket.
 5. Thedrinking bladder jacket apparatus of claim 1 further comprising thebladder pocket being coupled within the hood portion of the jacket. 6.(canceled)
 7. The drinking bladder jacket apparatus of claim 1 furthercomprising the release button being elliptical.
 8. The drinking bladderjacket apparatus of claim 1 further comprising the bladder and thedrinking tube being malleable to not restrict movement of a user.
 9. Adrinking bladder jacket apparatus comprising: a jacket having a jacketbody, a pair of sleeves coupled to the jacket body, and an inner lining;a bladder pocket coupled to the jacket, the bladder pocket being coupledto the inner lining in an interior back pocket of the jacket, thebladder pocket having a pocket portion and flap portion, the flapportion being configured to close or expose the pocket portion, each ofthe pocket portion and the flap portion having a selectively engageablefastener to seal the pocket portion; a bladder coupled within thebladder pocket, the bladder having a fill port and a release port, eachof the fill port and the release port extending into a bladder inside,the bladder inside being configured to hold a beverage; a cap coupled tothe bladder, the cap being selectively engageable with the fill port toseal or unseal the bladder inside; a drinking tube coupled to thebladder, the drinking tube extending through one of the sleeves of thejacket, the drinking tube being in fluid communication with the releaseport, the bladder and the drinking tube being malleable to not restrictmovement of a user; and a valve coupled to the drinking tube, the valvebeing coupled proximal a distal end of the drinking tube to restrict orallow the flow of the beverage, the valve having a release button toallow the flow of the beverage when the release button is depressed, therelease button being elliptical.
 10. A drinking bladder jacket apparatuscomprising: a jacket having a jacket body, a pair of sleeves coupled tothe jacket body, and an inner lining; a bladder pocket coupled to thejacket, the bladder pocket being coupled to the inner lining, thebladder pocket being coupled to the inner lining on a hood portion ofthe jacket, the bladder pocket having a pocket portion and flap portion,the flap portion closing or exposing the pocket portion, each of thepocket portion and the flap portion having a selectively engageablefastener to seal the pocket portion; a bladder coupled within thebladder pocket, the bladder having a fill port and a release portextending into a bladder inside, the bladder inside being configured tohold a beverage; a cap coupled to the bladder, the cap being selectivelyengageable with the fill port to seal or unseal the bladder inside; adrinking tube coupled to the bladder, the drinking tube extendingthrough the hood portion of the jacket, the drinking tube being in fluidcommunication with the release port, the bladder and the drinking tubebeing sufficiently malleable to not restrict movement of the user; and avalve coupled to the drinking tube, the valve being coupled proximal adistal end of the drinking tube to restrict or allow the flow of thebeverage, the valve having a release button to allow the flow of thebeverage when depressed, the release button being elliptical.